ISO/IEC Guide 77 provides recommendations for standardization committees for the description of products and their properties for the creation of computer processable product libraries, catalogues and reference dictionaries. This description will provide the details of the products and their properties in an unambiguous manner capable of computer communication, in a form that is independent from any proprietary application software.

ISO/IEC Guide 77 is intended to assist the objective of enabling the flow of technical information between internal and external business partners in a cost-effective and timely manner.

The guidance given in ISO/IEC Guide 77-1:2008 is intended to assist convenors and members of ISO and IEC Technical Committees, as well as managers and technical experts in the manufacturing industry.

ISO/IEC Guide 77-1:2008 is intended to provide an overview of the needs and benefits and the process of creating product libraries, catalogues and reference dictionaries. The following are within the scope of ISO/IEC Guide 77-1:2008:

• international standardization activities related to reference dictionaries;
• benefits of reference dictionaries to International Standards;
• a procedure for creating reference dictionaries;
• resources required;
• assessment of savings;
• sources of information and expertise.

The following are outside the scope of ISO/IEC Guide 77-1:2008:

• technical guidance for the creation of product libraries and dictionaries;
• case studies from experiences in the creation of dictionaries of product information in industrial practice.

Reference dictionaries can be useful in the context of product data in the supply chain, as well as in the business context of product data management.

ISO/IEC Guide 77-1:2008 is for guidance only and is intended to support activities such as education.